Frederick w



(No Model.)

P; W. HEDGELAND. SELF PLAYING KEYBOARD INSTRUMENT.

No. 547,953. Patented Oct. 15,1895.

FIG-1f WITNESSES. VENTOR Br 7 651%? W I ,ws TTORNE Ks.

ANDREW LGIANAM. MOTOUINQWASNINGTUN. D C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. HEDGELAND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE W. W.KIMBALL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SELF-PLAYING KEYBOARD INSTRUMENT.

SYECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent NO. 547,953, dated October15, 1895.

Application filed February 23, 1894. Serial in 501,155. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. HEDGE- LAND, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Self-PlayingKeyboard Instruments,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to self-playing keyboard instruments employing amovable perforated strip or belt for controlling the keyactuatingmechanism, and its object has been to apply the perforated strip toexisting styles of pianos and organs in such manner as to necessitate nochange in either the size, shape, or general construction of theinstrument or its case and as not to disfigure or materially change theappearance of the case.

To this end I locate the moving perforated strip immediately beneath thekeyboard of the instrument, with the drums carrying the strip placedbelow the ends of the keyboard, substantially as hereinafter set forth.The strip and its drums may be covered or concealed, if desired, so thatno portion of the mechanism will be visible.

The nature of myimprovement is fully described in the accompanyingdrawings, where- Figure 1 is an elevation of a self-playing instrumentembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a partial elevation with the strip andits drums exposed.

In said drawings, A represents the case of an ordinary upright piano,which may, however, for the purpose of this application, stand as a typeof the general class of keyboard instruments to which the invention isapplicable.

13 is the keyboard, and C represents the keys. Immediately below thekeyboard, which in the case illustrated projects in front of the case, Iplace the moving perforated strip D and its drums E and F under the endsof the board, E being the unwinding-drum and F the driven or windingdrum. The extended portion of the strip beneath the keyboard issupported by a rod or roller G, located under the center of the boardand as close under the bottom thereof as possible, so that the extendedportion of the strip may not sag or drop. By thus locating the drums andsupporting the strip between them I avoid any necessity for adding morethan an inch, or thereabouts, to the vertical dimensions of that portionof the keyboard under which space is needed for the knees of the playeror players seated at the instrument for manual playing. I am betterenabled to economize in the amount of space thus used by the strip andits supports by drawing the strip from and winding it on the upper sideof the drums, as shown. Of course it will be understood that the stripat some point between the drums passes devices whereby it controls theself-playing mechanism; but abundant room for such devices may be formedin proximity to either drum, and as such devices form no portion of thepresent invention I have not thought it necessary to illustrate them. Iprefer to conceal by suitable means the strip and its drum and supports,and for this purpose may use an apron H and doors J. The lower edge ofthe apron is arched, so that it may occupy no more vertical space thanis needed to cover the strip and present a graceful outline, and doorsJ, which are in front of the drums, may be hinged at m, so that they canbe opened, as shown, to permit changes of the strip.

With my invention the strip is so placed as not to interfere with theknees of players using the piano'and so as not to affect or require anychange in the general construction of the instrument-case or to affectits general appearance, and should one of the strips be stretchedbetween the drums when the instrument is used for manual playing it isheld up out of contact with the knees of the player. The strip is alsorendered easy of access and readily changed.

I claim- 1. The combination with a keyboard instrument, of a movableperforated strip for controlling the automatic playing mechanism, anddrums, one at each end of the keyboard, upon which the strip is wound insuch mannor that the strip extends from the top of one drum to the topof the other, both the strip and drums being located under the keyboard,whereby a central space is left between the drums to accommodate thekneesof the player, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a keyboard in casing being located underneaththe key- [0 strunnent, of a movable perforated strip for board, wherebya central space is left between controllingthe automatic playingmechanism, the drums to accommodate the knees of the drums, one at eachend of the keyboard, upon player, substantially as specified. which thestrip is wound in such manner that t i 1 i the strip extends from thetop of one drum to FREDERICK HEDGELAND' the top of the other, and acasing or covering Witnesses: for said strip and drums, arched orelevated H. M. MUNDAY, at the central portion, said strips, rurns andEMMA HACK.

